atwood



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

L. J. ATWOQD & F. W. TOBEY. LAMP HOLDER.

No. 405,388. Patented June 18, 1889.

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Wifizewasv UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEwIs J. ATwooD AND FREDERICK w. T-OBEY, F wATERRURY, CONNECTI- OUT, ASSIGNORS TO THE PLUME & ATWOOD MANUFACTURING COMPANY,

OF SAME PLACE.

LAM P-HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 405,388, dated June 18, 1889.

Application filed July 18, 1888. Serial No. 279,845. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, LEWIS J. ATWOOD and FREDERICK W. TOBEY, citizens of the United States, residing at NVaterbury, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Lamp-IIolders, of which the following is a specification, reference had being to the accompanying drawings. 7

IO Much difficulty is at present experienced in placing oil-lamps with large reservoirs and tall chimneys in the harps or other suspension or supporting devices in which they are suspended or supported at a considerable height I 5 from the floors of buildings and apartments. Such suspension or supporting devices are commonly composed in part of a ring,within which the reservoir is supported by an annu lar projection on the latter, of larger circumference than the ring, resting on the top of the ring. The ring having a fixed circumference, the lamp has to be lifted entirely over the top of the ring and dropped thereinto from above. When the reservoiris very largefor instance, large enough to contain nearlya gallon of oil, as is often the caseand the chimney is very tall, this is an operation of difliculty.

The object of this invention is to provide for the insertion of the lamp-reservoir through the ring from below the latter.

WVe will describe our improvement in de tail, and then point out the novel features in claims. 3 5 In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side View of a lamp-holder, illustrating our invention and having alamp supported therein. Fig. 2 is a side view of the holder, having its ring expanded to permit the lamp-reservoir to pass through it fromv below. Fig. 3 is a plan of the ring of the lamp-holder in its contracted condition corresponding with Fig. 1. Fig. at is a plan view of a portion of the ring, illustrating the means provided for ex- 5 pansion. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a link with which the ring is provided to per- Init its expansion and'contraction. Fig. 6 is plan, and 7 and 8 are views of modifications of the same.

Similar letters of reference design ate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Referring first to Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, A designates the principal portion of the ring of the holder, represented as consisting of ahoop or band of metal open at a a, and having in said opening a link I which combines with the said hoop or band Ato complete the ring. The ends a aof the ring are constructed so that the end a overlaps the end a. In the example represented the overlapping end a is formed of a separate piece A, which is riveted at c to the part A; but it is obvious that the overlapping portion A of which the end a is formed might be in the same piece with the hoop or band A. The link B, which is curved to conform substantially to the circumference of the hoop or band A, is capable of lying between the overlapping ends a a of the hoop or band, as shown in Figs. 3 and 1. It is pivoted to the said hoop or band near the end a by a pivot b, and also pivoted to the saidhoop or band near the end a by a pivot Z), the said pivots being in the example represented substantially radial to the ring, and it iscapable of being reversed on said pivotsthat is to say, either to be thrown outward beyond the end a, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4,011 of being thrown inward within the said end a, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

In the last-mentioned condition of the link B the ends a a are drawn far enough over each other to bring the inner circumference of the ring to its normal size to receive the lamp-reservoir C, Fig. 1, and support the latter by its annular projection or molding d 85 resting on the top of the ring; but when the said link B is turned over to the position shown in Figs. 2 and A the circumference is increased to the extent of twice the length between the centers of the pivots b b, which 9: is sufficient to allow the annular projection or molding d of the lamp-reservoir to pass easily through it. The link B is provided with an outward projection B, which serves the twofold purpose of a handle or thumb- 5 piece by which to turn the said link to one or other of the two positions represented for the purpose of contracting or expanding the ring and of a stop to lie under the lapping portion A of the hoop or band A for the purpose of stopping the link in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3, to keep the ring contracted to its normal circumference.

The hoop or band A (shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4) should preferably be made of hard brass or other metal sufficiently elastic to enable it to spring open as far as permitted by the link B when the latter is turned from the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3 toward that shown in Figs. 2 and 4. This action of the elasticity of the hoop or band is illustrated in Fig. 2, where the band is represented in dotted outline with the link B in the act of turning over.

The modification shown in Figs. 0, '7, and 8 illustrates aconstruction of the hoop or band A of the expanding ring which permits it to be made of cast-iron or inelastic metal. The hoop or band A in this example is made of three sections hinged at g g, and the ring of which these form the principal parts is completed by an expanding joint composed of two links h h, like a toggle pivoted together and to two of the saidsections by pivots i qlj. By the folding of the toggle, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the ring thus constructed is contracted, and by the unfolding or extension of the said toggle, as shown in Fig.8 and in dotted outline in Fig. 6, the said ring is expanded.

The expanding ring, however constructed, may have the hoop or band portion A A supported or suspended in the same manner as the rings of the lamp-holders at present in use-as, for instance, by a harp, such as is commonly used for pendent lamps, or by a bracket such as is used for Walllamps. In the example represented the hoop or band A is furnished with lugs D to be attached to side rods'Eof a harp suspension device.

The lamp-holder ring, constructed as above described and arranged at any height within the reach of a person, may be operated by one hand while the person holds the lamp in the other. The ring having been expanded, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, the lamp-reservoir is inserted through it from beneath, and the link B, being taken hold of by the thumbpiece 13, is thrown ox'er to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3 to contract the ring, which will then support the reservoir by the proj ection or molding d.

It will be seen that in all the examples of my improvement the ends of the ring, when the latter occupies a normal or closed position, lap past each other, so that the upper edge of the ring is presented in a substantially horizontal plane.

\Vhat we claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a lamp-holder, the combination, with a ring, of a support for said ring, said ring having an opening in one side and a reversible link arranged within said opening, and having a loose connection with both of the adjacent ends of the ring, the ends of the rin when in a normal position lapping past each other, so as to present the upper edge of the ring in an approximately horizontal plane, substantially as specified.

2. The combination, with a ring, of a support for said ring, said ring having an opening in one side, the ends of thering being capable of overlapping one another, and a reversible link arranged between said overlapping ends and having a loose connection with both of said ends of the ring, the ring when in a normal or closed position present ing its upper edge in an approximately horizontal plane, substantially as specified.

3. The combination, With a ring, of a support for said ring, said ring having an opening in one side, a reversible link arranged Within said opening and having a loose connection with both of the adjacent ends of the ring, and a projection constituting a stop upon one of said end portions of the ring, substantially as specified.

LEWIS J. ATWOOD; FREDRK. XV. TOBEY. Witnesses:

R. T. LATTIN, J. H. I'IURLBUT. 

